Learn Hardcore Swahili: Kila jioni bibi husimulia simulizi fupi kuhusu safari za zamani. - Every evening grandmother tells a short narrative about past journeys.

na- marks the present continuous (action happening right now), while hu- marks the habitual (actions done regularly). Because the grandmother tells stories every evening (a habitual action), the sentence uses hu- in husimulia.

What is the root verb of husimulia and how do you identify it?

The root is -simulia meaning to tell (a story). You identify it by removing the tense/subject prefix hu-, leaving the stem simulia.

What does simulizi fupi mean, and why is the adjective placed after the noun?

simulizi means story or narrative, and fupi means short. In Swahili, adjectives generally follow the noun and agree in noun class. Here, simulizi fupi literally translates to short story.

What role does kuhusu play in the sentence?

kuhusu is a preposition meaning about or concerning. It introduces the topic safari za zamani (literally journeys of old times).

Why does safari za zamani use za instead of ya, and why doesn't safari change form in the plural?

safari belongs to noun class 9/10, which has identical singular and plural forms (no visible plural suffix). Class 10 uses za as the genitive/concord marker, so safari za zamani means journeys of old times. If you meant a single trip of old times, you would say safari ya zamani.

Why is there no article like the or a before bibi?

Swahili does not use definite or indefinite articles. Nouns stand alone without the or a, and context conveys whether you mean “a grandmother” or “the grandmother.”

Where is the pronoun for “she” in the sentence?

Subject pronouns in Swahili are built into the verb prefix. In husimulia, the prefix hu- carries both the habitual aspect and the 3rd person singular subject (“he”/“she”), so a separate pronoun is unnecessary.